Saturday, June 26, 2010

I admit, I'm a sucker for Amish "romance" novels, of which there seem to be many. This one, though, has an interesting twist that I did not begin to suspect until about 3/4 through, but was still surprised that it ended the way it did. I think this is the only book of this nature that I have read that took that turn.

The story was an intriguing in that you could feel the emotions the main characters had for each other, yet, the conflict between what they wanted and who they were was almost tangible as well.

My only criticism isn't so much about how it is written as much as how it is described "on the back." I kept expecting the quilt to become an integral part of the story, and even thought that the relationship between Sarah and Grant would be described (or become a metaphor) of the quilt that she made. Instead, the part the quilt played in the overall story seemed almost like an afterthought. The squares were introduced early in the story, so I kept expecting them to "be used," but they weren't. Then, suddenly, *bam* there they were, she made a beautiful quilt and the story moved on. Then, almost as suddenly as it came about, the quilt was gone again.

Overall, though, the story was a very pleasant read, and I enjoyed it. It was easy to follow and the characters, though not particularly dynamic, were easy to understand. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who likes this genre of book.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Saturday, June 12, 2010

My kids really enjoy the Hermie and friends series, so I was anxious to get it and watch it with them. When Freddie the Flea shows up to fix the ladybugs' TV set, he hears Hailey and Bailey asking their mom what is so special about fleas. They recount a couple of heroic acts by other members of the Garden, which Freddie overhears, and he begins to question what *is* special about him. So, he goes outside and talks to God.

God uses the lives of Freddie's friends to show him that he is special and that there is a plan just for him -- a job in the Garden that only Freddie can do.

My kids and I sat together and watched this and they enjoyed it as they have the others. They also liked that it incorporated clips from some of the other stories they have seen. Their favorite, I think, was seeing what Buzby "used" to be. :)

It seemed a bit short to me, with the "flashbacks" being too short and not really developing enough as far as the story was concerned. It helped that I had seen most of the stories referenced, but when it was over, we were all kinda like, "Is that it?"

Overall, though, it is a cute story with a good message, and my kids enjoyed it (as they have the others in the Hermie series).

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Wednesday, June 02, 2010

This was a pleasant read. It had believable characters, and I thought it did well at contrasting the life of the English with the life of the Amish. So many times, I've read books about the Amish people, and it is easy to picture them being set in a time past. This book, however, unblurred that line gave an interesting picture of what could happen when the Amish are presented with runaways, foster care and child abuse.

I probably would stop short of calling it a true mystery, as the story isn't quite that intriguing, and it is fairly obvious what is going on and what will happen. I enjoyed it as it was both easy to follow and relaxing (and I was reading it on vacation). I could also see pre-teen or early teen girls enjoying it, though it is not a "girl story."

Overall, not a bad book, and one I could heartily recommend to someone who simply wants a book to enjoy.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”